The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus with image input and output such as a copying machine or composite machine. More particularly, the present invention relates to an image processing service system that executes a variety of image processing services via a network.
As is well known, unlike a conventional analog copying machine, a digital copying machine that is primarily available at present handles image data as digital information in its internal processing.
This digital copying machine can achieve a basic copying function, a scanning function that can acquire paper information as a digital image, and a printing function that can output the digital image on paper.
Further, adding a network connection function to the digital copying machine enables functional expansion via a network such as a facsimile function that transmits/receives image data and a network printing function.
Such a digital copying machine comprising a variety of extended functions in addition to its basic copying function is called a composite machine or an MFP (Multi-Function Peripheral).
A composite machine of such a type integrates a plurality of functions in a complete set, thereby improving user convenience and achieving advantageous effects such as reduction of installation cost or reduction of management burden by reduction of installation space or intensive management/integration of functions.
However, there occurs a problem caused by multi-functioning. That is, there occurs an occurrence of composite problems or a requirement for high level maintenance work because of higher price caused by heavier functioning (lower cost competency), or complicated functions.
In addition, because multi-functions are intensively managed, there applies a restriction that, even when these multi-functions are merely updated/improved, the entire composite machine must be replaced. This means that the user must have a heavy burden.
In the meantime, in general, image information handled by a copying machine/composite machine of such a type is higher in quality and resolution than images handled by an ordinary Web site, and the amount of data is considerably large.
On the other hand, with recent technological innovation, higher speed communication network environments or larger capacity is in progress rapidly. Thus, it is expected to develop a communication infrastructure such that a large amount of data can be transmitted/received in a copying machine/composite machine in real time.
In addition, with fulfillment of such communication networks, a business approach to provide services via the Internet, which is called ASP (Application Service Provider), is more popular.
Although functions required for individual devices or terminals have been packaged conventionally, the ASP approach makes it available to provide required functions as services via a network whenever necessary.
Further, in the Internet environment, data sharing in conformance with a P2P (Peer to Peer) scheme is actively carried out such that any terminal connected to a network can have server and client functions.
Publicly known examples concerning network connection of a copying machine include those disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication Nos. 11-196247 and 2001-86347, and the like.
The former discloses a technique for transmitting/receiving image information via a network. The latter discloses a technique for reducing a network burden by compressing image information. However, neither of these publications fails to solve the problem caused by multi-functioning of the above described composite machine.